Telecoms networks and broadband communications
Broadband communications and telecoms networks have been key enablers for the internet revolution and for organisations using the web to deliver new online services. Broadband is key to the UK's economic success and competiveness, and the roll out of superfast, fibre-based networks to deliver the next generation of services has become a political and technological issue, especially for rural networks on the wrong side of the digital divide. We analyse the implications and opportunities for IT managers as broadband adoption continues to grow.
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Feature
19 Feb 2024
Mobile’s next generation: The 6G-based hyper-connected future of living and work
We continue our look at the work in the field of 6G communications in the Finnish city of Oulu, most notably at its university, and see what products and services the new network will support Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Feb 2024
Mobile’s next generation: 6G development finds its north star
The 6G industry and technology ecosystem is truly global. Yet if a single country could be singled out as a leader, then it could be argued that this would be Finland, in particular thanks to the city of Oulu Continue Reading
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News
09 Mar 2021
Cibicom taps Nokia to supply mission-critical LTE network across Denmark
Finnish comms provider inks deal with Danish operator to roll out new 450 MHz LTE infrastructure for mass volume IoT and mission critical data coverage Continue Reading
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News
09 Mar 2021
CityFibre embarks on £34m Thames Valley full-fibre project
UK’s third-largest broadband provider announces plans to light up fibre in key area of southern England, addressing the current and future digital needs of residents and businesses in the region Continue Reading
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E-Zine
09 Mar 2021
Are you ready to return to the office?
In this week’s Computer Weekly, a year after lockdown began, we look at employers’ changing attitudes to returning to the workplace. We find out how the software developer community has coped during the Covid-19 pandemic. And we examine the cyber security concerns prompted by latest social media craze, Clubhouse. Read the issue now. Continue Reading
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News
08 Mar 2021
Scottish consortium unveils new scheme to boost 4G, 5G connectivity
Programme launched to help Scottish local authorities and public sector organisations reap the benefits from improved connectivity without overburdening their resources Continue Reading
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News
08 Mar 2021
UK’s first 5G-connected tram on track across West Midlands
Leading next-generation network test lab announces latest project offering a showcase for what the future of connected transport could look like in its home region and beyond Continue Reading
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News
08 Mar 2021
UK government offers ‘inadequate’ response to broadband concerns
DCMS Committee takes government to task for the second time in two months for lack of response in how it will ensure communications strategy is realised Continue Reading
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News
08 Mar 2021
DZS accelerates network process strategy with RIFT acquisition
In its second recent strategic acquisition, transport and broadband access solutions provider swoops for automation firm to deliver and manage intelligent network and processing functions at the network edge Continue Reading
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News
05 Mar 2021
T-Mobile targets post-pandemic workplace with remote working suite
Aiming to address a world of work in which Covid-19 brought a decade’s worth of progress in a year’s time,T-Mobile launches a collaborative solutions suite that it says will meet the challenges of remote working head on Continue Reading
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News
05 Mar 2021
Connectivity the ‘unsung hero’ of the future of work
Research finds that by stripping away bureaucracy, flattening hierarchies and streamlining processes, the response to Covid-19 has given an indication as to how work could and should change for the better, but there will be losers along with the winners Continue Reading
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News
05 Mar 2021
Vodafone promises ‘unbreakable’ broadband without breaking the bank
New hybrid Pro Broadband product aims to deliver Wi-Fi in every room through hybrid router that is claimed to deliver uninterrupted wireless connectivity Continue Reading
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News
05 Mar 2021
Mobile business and productivity apps see 7.1 billion downloads in 2020
App Annie research finds stay-at-home orders and lockdowns drive uptake of business productivity applications such as Zoom Cloud Meetings, Google Meet and Microsoft Teams, growing 35% annually Continue Reading
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Definition
04 Mar 2021
base station
In telecommunications, a base station is a fixed transceiver that is the main communication point for one or more wireless mobile client devices. Continue Reading
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News
04 Mar 2021
UK network users burn through unprecedented data in lockdown 3
Coinciding with the launch of Call of Duty: Warzone update, Virgin Media records its busiest day on record, with the average user downloading more than 20GB of data Continue Reading
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News
04 Mar 2021
AI, fibre investment sees Comcast ride out massive wave of network traffic in 2020
Smart hardware and software technologies allow national US network provider to manage unprecedented traffic driven by major growth in online video and gaming Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Mar 2021
Being the brand: Virgin takes SD-WAN to the next level
Companies are increasingly turning to software-defined wide-area networks to address the needs of remote workforces Continue Reading
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News
03 Mar 2021
Virgin Media trial demos multi-gigabit upgradeable bandwidth
Virgin Media trials optical networking technology that could pave way to faster internet connectivity that is easier to upgrade Continue Reading
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News
02 Mar 2021
Goldman Sachs CEO comments highlight need for home working balance
The remote working revolution has been prominent in the banking sector and organisations have a balancing act to perform once the pandemic passes Continue Reading
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News
02 Mar 2021
Openreach taps VIAVI to ensure network quality for UK full-fibre build-out
Openreach opts for optical network monitoring system to address network quality, including validating new construction, performing pre-activation checks and monitoring ongoing services Continue Reading
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News
02 Mar 2021
Cellular IoT connections to reach 3.5 billion by 2030
Strategy Analytics survey finds that despite mass roll-out of next-gen networks, in the real world of the internet of things, 4G will continue as the dominant underlying platform, and 5G-based IoT growth will be gradual over the remaining part of the decade Continue Reading
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News
01 Mar 2021
UK government pumps £4.5m into central Scotland gigabit connectivity plan
Key Scottish population belt identified as the first territory for investment as part of UK government’s £5bn investment in next-generation broadband Continue Reading
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Definition
01 Mar 2021
orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM)
Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) is a method of data transmission where a single information stream is split among several closely spaced narrowband subchannel frequencies instead of a single wideband channel frequency. Continue Reading
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News
01 Mar 2021
Covid accelerates Bradford University remote working project
Pandemic injected fuel into university’s existing project to introduce remote working Continue Reading
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News
01 Mar 2021
Only 12% of worldwide enterprises fully embrace SASE
Global survey reveals that although many public and private sector organisations have elements of secure access service edge in their IT stack, few have a comprehensive architecture and a significant number do not embrace the philosophy at all Continue Reading
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News
01 Mar 2021
First Newcastle residents gain CityFibre gigabit access
UK’s third national digital infrastructure platform provider claims Tyneside digital revolution is gathering pace as the first homes are connected to next-generation full-fibre network Continue Reading
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News
26 Feb 2021
Three UK broadens 4G, 5G reach
UK operator reveals the pace at which its 5G network is expanding according to an expansion plan announced at end of 2020 and gives visibility into its 4G net build Continue Reading
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News
26 Feb 2021
5G firms tune up for Sonic open networking scheme
Project offers the opportunity to shape what the UK’s 5G supply chains of the future could look like Continue Reading
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News
26 Feb 2021
Juniper adds WAN, Virtual Network Assistant technology to networks portfolio
Artificial intelligence-driven networks provider builds on wired/wireless access leadership and record year for campus/branch switching with new AI-driven EX switch Continue Reading
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News
25 Feb 2021
HPE launches new comms tech group with ‘industry-first’ Open RAN Solution Stack
Group will help telcos and enterprises take advantage of the huge 5G market opportunity with technology bringing the company’s IP across telco software, services and infrastructure Continue Reading
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News
25 Feb 2021
Community Fibre claims progress in London gigabit roll-out
ISP doubles the number of London homes enabled with its full-fibre broadband to more than 200,000 and increases its customer base by 130% in a year Continue Reading
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News
25 Feb 2021
EE to extend mobile coverage in more than 500 UK areas in 2021
As part of £1bn scheme to make sure acceptable mobile connectivity is spread among all UK communities, BT-owned telco reveals mass mobile roll-out plan Continue Reading
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News
25 Feb 2021
UK 5G offers faster speeds, but availability issues persist
Research shows UK 5G speeds have increased since initial deployments and are likely to increase further, with London a particular bright spot, but availability remains an issue Continue Reading
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News
24 Feb 2021
Mavenir, Red Hat claim mobile network infrastructure transformation
Further development in software-defined mobile network technology as cloud-native network software and systems integration provider collaborates with open source operating system firm Continue Reading
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News
24 Feb 2021
Demand for telcos to prioritise efficiency and sustainability in 5G nets
Research reveals that embracing best practices and partnering with customers to amplify efficiency will be key for operators Continue Reading
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News
24 Feb 2021
Wi-Fi Alliance improves quality of service for real-time Wi-Fi applications
New certification programme for wireless broadband quality-of-service management is claimed to be able to bring robust service delivery and high-quality Wi-Fi experiences Continue Reading
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News
23 Feb 2021
Australia’s Macquarie Telecom debuts SD-LAN service
The software-defined local area networking service will make it easier for enterprises to manage Wi-Fi networks and regulate the density of people at a given location Continue Reading
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News
23 Feb 2021
Huawei: World faces risk of K-shaped post-Covid economic recovery
MWC keynote sees Huawei deputy chairman warn that innovation is not just about solving current challenges, but about ‘lighting up tomorrow’ with innovation to make businesses smarter and create a more inclusive world Continue Reading
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News
23 Feb 2021
GSMA: 5G drives recovery from Covid
Research from global trade body for the mobile industry finds that, driven by China, adoption of next-generation networks will enable global economies to get back on track over the short to mid-term Continue Reading
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News
23 Feb 2021
Bharti Airtel, Qualcomm team to advance 5G Open RAN in India
Subcontinent’s premier communication systems provider announces partnership with leading provider of communications chips and chipsets to accelerate the adoption of next-generation networks in India Continue Reading
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News
22 Feb 2021
Malaysia government intervenes to drive 5G forward
The government of Malaysia pledges to spend 15bn ringgit to set up an entity that would be granted spectrum and operational scope to manage 5G roll-outs Continue Reading
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Tip
22 Feb 2021
How to build a private 5G business case
As you build a private 5G business case, be sure to include private 5G's benefits and challenges, as well as how to prove its ROI. Here's everything you need to know. Continue Reading
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News
22 Feb 2021
SES beams high-throughput loopback services to US DoD
Government solutions division of Luxembourg-based satellite operator uses O3b medium earth orbit constellation to deliver mission-critical communications to the edge in Asia Continue Reading
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News
22 Feb 2021
Huawei: Mobile 5G and wireless home broadband set to triple in 2021
Keynote by leading executive predicts booming 5G market set to rise in the next 12 months and reveals first use case for 5G business suite in industrial mobile Continue Reading
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News
22 Feb 2021
Ericsson accelerates 5G mid-band roll-outs with mMIMO, RAN Compute lines
Swedish comms tech provider expands MIMO portfolio and radio access network solutions to enhance network performance with what it claims is optimised energy efficiency and reduced carbon footprint with new mid-band products, including 20kg flagship 64T Massive radio product Continue Reading
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News
22 Feb 2021
5G network densification and mMIMO to drive mobile net spend to US$191bn by 2026
Finding MIMO pivotal to driving massive uptake in cellular infrastructure expenditure over the next five years Continue Reading
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News
19 Feb 2021
Orange aims for pole with Totem on back of ‘solid’ fiscal year
Global telco claims to have defied Covid-19 with solid fiscal year and looks to the future with increased 5G penetration and new mobile tower business. Continue Reading
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News
19 Feb 2021
Nokia wins multi-year 5G radio and core contract with A1 Austria
Central European telco signs further deal with Finnish comms provider to begin commercial implementation of 4G and 5G network slicing following successful pilot Continue Reading
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News
19 Feb 2021
Verizon Business, Cisco expand SD-WAN managed service offer
US comms provider enhances software-defined wide area network portfolio with three new offers from network equipment and services firm to provide more options for building flexible and agile networking infrastructure Continue Reading
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News
19 Feb 2021
Tech shortfalls erode company culture in mid-size businesses
Nearly half of European office workers feel their company culture has suffered due to coronavirus restrictions, with companies faced with the difficult task of creating a supportive, digital-driven company culture that works for everyone Continue Reading
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News
18 Feb 2021
C Spire taps Amdocs for 5G wireless policy and charging
US telco makes key 5G technology investment to be able to offer what it says will be the ‘most innovative’ 5G customer experience now and in the future Continue Reading
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News
18 Feb 2021
More than two-thirds of firms would invest in dedicated remote working connectivity
Firms are faced with supporting more remote working for their businesses going forward, and a survey has shed light on what form this support will take and what firms believe they will need in the ‘new normal’ Continue Reading
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News
16 Feb 2021
CSPs overlook SMEs as major source of 5G revenue
Study finds communications service providers are failing to recognise the vast potential of the SME arena as a major source of B2B revenue, especially on 5G Continue Reading
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News
16 Feb 2021
NearForm secures investment to fuel rapid international expansion
Creator of contact-tracing app for the island of Ireland, Scotland, the EU and north-eastern US states secures faster cash injection to build better software Continue Reading
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News
15 Feb 2021
Altran, Qualcomm collaborate for 5G NR small cell software
Altran and Qualcomm join forces to expedite development of high-speed, low-latency private and public 5G small cells Continue Reading
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News
15 Feb 2021
BT fibres up UK Covid-19 vaccination centres
As NHS announces that 15 million people have received first dose of Covid-19 vaccine across UK, BT reveals its role in helping health service to achieve milestone by connecting more than 100 vaccination centres to high-speed connectivity and Wi-Fi Continue Reading
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News
15 Feb 2021
Sun shines on first private cellular campus smart manufacturing network in Greece
Supporting the digital transformation of Greek enterprises, comms tech provider implements connectivity system based on the deployment of a private cellular campus network at solar thermal products provider Continue Reading
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News
15 Feb 2021
Zoom fatigue kicks in as working from home becomes working from phone
Research from leading telecoms operator finds over a third of Brits working from home are increasingly switching to mobile data to stay online in lockdown Continue Reading
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News
12 Feb 2021
Remote workers battle for home broadband
Research reveals that maybe the real issue in the big broadband debate is to be found inside the home rather than outside, especially for remote workers Continue Reading
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News
12 Feb 2021
Nokia furthers Open RAN push with CPQD partnership
Collaboration between Nokia and CPQD set to explore Open RAN-compliant RIC platform to develop 5G use cases such as fixed wireless access smart cities and Industry 4.0 Continue Reading
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News
12 Feb 2021
Masergy, Cisco construct UCaaS collaboration solution
SD-WAN provider teams with networking and collaboration technology giant to address distributed enterprises’ communications needs Continue Reading
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News
11 Feb 2021
More than $2bn returned to US consumers through mobile device trade-ins in 2020
Market falls back, but old comms devices maintain value in 2020 despite Covid-19, with $786m returned to US consumers in Q4 2020 alone, representing a 38% rise from Q3 for the secondary device market Continue Reading
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News
11 Feb 2021
Massive uptick in collaboration software usage in 2020
US and Europe show differing directions of travel in remote working take-up but leading collaboration systems exhibit four-figure growth since February 2020, with usage levels set to remain high as the new normal of work establishes itself Continue Reading
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News
11 Feb 2021
Verizon Business, Deloitte gain retail edge with 5G
Operator’s 5G and mobile edge compute technology, coupled with IT consultancy’s retail industry and solution engineering experience, aims to improve store operating efficiency and enhance the customer experience Continue Reading
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News
10 Feb 2021
Truespeed and CityFibre accelerate UK fibre roll-out
More fuel to fibre roll-out across the UK, with leading west of England ISP Truespeed propelling Bath into the gigabit era, while third national broadband provider CityFibre heads to Inverness with its gigabit net Continue Reading
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News
10 Feb 2021
First phase of Shared Rural Network set to bring £187m boost to UK rural businesses
Operator-commissioned study claims first phase of scheme to reduce partial not-spots in the UK could mean rural communities contribute an added £58.9m to UK GDP each year Continue Reading
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News
10 Feb 2021
Companies call for new breed of enterprise network operator for greater IoT control
Survey finds almost half of those controlling decisions on the deployment of internet of things technology and services would like to own a dedicated network in-house Continue Reading
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Blog Post
10 Feb 2021
Better call Ron
A Texan lawyer has helped the internet through its Handforth Parish Council comedown by donning a sad kitten filter in virtual court. “I believe you have a filter turned on in your video settings,” ... Continue Reading
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News
10 Feb 2021
Société Générale adopts work-from-home policy
French bank formalises remote working policy after discussions with labour unions Continue Reading
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News
10 Feb 2021
Vodafone UK adds Digitalk to MVNO portfolio
UK telco taps global mobile virtual network enabler service provider, offering cloud-based real-time communications platforms, to assist in on-boarding partners to virtual network Continue Reading
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News
09 Feb 2021
NHS Covid-19 app alerts 1.7 million contacts
More than 1.7 million users asked to isolate by UK app as a result of a close contact since launch, helping to break chains of transmission and prevent the deaths of thousands, says developer Continue Reading
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News
09 Feb 2021
BT claims £24bn value as it enables new customer experience for Walgreens Boots
As it announces role in delivering transformation for pharmacy chain, BT reveals data showing that it employs one in every 12 people in UK’s IT and communications sector Continue Reading
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News
09 Feb 2021
CityFibre lights up Yorkshire cities with gigabit connectivity
Former altnet turned UK’s third national digital infrastructure platform provider announces plan to transform two of the White Rose county’s largest conurbations into digitally connected cities Continue Reading
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News
09 Feb 2021
Telecom Egypt implements IBM hybrid cloud to transform operations
Leading regional telco deploys Cloud Pak for Automation technology to modernise network operations and deliver fast and secure services to clients and looks to IBM Global Business Services to build and manage its datacentre Continue Reading
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News
08 Feb 2021
European cities hit key smart technology milestone with €250m investment
London, Lisbon, Milan, Bordeaux, Burgas and Warsaw trigger investment in smart technologies as part of Sharing Cities programme Continue Reading
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News
08 Feb 2021
Deutsche Telekom taps Nokia for optical transport network modernisation
Global operator signs deal to deploy optical transport portfolio to deliver more automated, higher-capacity network to meet growing demands of residential and Industry 4.0 Continue Reading
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News
05 Feb 2021
Mayor of London launches digital inclusion initiative
Taskforce focused on increasing digital inclusion in London will promote digital skills and increase access to devices and connectivity Continue Reading
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News
05 Feb 2021
Telcos flesh out 5G volumetric use cases
NTT DoCoMo and BT among first telcos to examine the potential of technology that will enable large, high-quality interactive 3D files to be streamed to 5G mobile devices and viewed directly through a browser, along with AR/VR. Continue Reading
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News
05 Feb 2021
CE consortium calls on comms regulator to ignore pleas to delay 6GHz certification
As users’ reliance on wireless devices increases, the US Consumer Technology Association warns FCC to ignore lobbying to pause progress of Wi-Fi 6E equipment certification Continue Reading
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News
05 Feb 2021
RAN returns strong growth but Nokia prepares for challenging year ahead
Comms tech provider claims solid Q4, full year 2020 performance but anticipates “meaningful headwinds” in year of transition Continue Reading
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News
04 Feb 2021
Wi-Fi global economic value to reach $5tn in 2025
Study of the mainstay of in-home work, educational and entertainment communications finds Wi-Fi is a major global economic engine Continue Reading
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News
04 Feb 2021
BT counts cost of Covid-19 in third quarter
Fibre and 5G roll-outs continue apace, but trading update reveals trying times for UK incumbent telco, with falling revenues and profits Continue Reading
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News
04 Feb 2021
Ericsson: Dematerialisation is the path to profitability
Comms tech provider’s research finds so-called dematerialised enterprises expect to take advantage of cloud and mobile technology to become more productive and sustainable by 2030 Continue Reading
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News
03 Feb 2021
AWS and Telstra team up on 5G
Australia’s Telstra will explore a range of AWS’s edge computing offerings that can be integrated into its 5G network to speed up the performance of 5G applications Continue Reading
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News
03 Feb 2021
Broadband speed boost sees UK home values jump by £3,500
UK government survey quantifies added value of access to superfast broadband, which is now said to have pushed broadband speeds up a gear for 5.5 million homes across the country, creating £2.7bn of economic benefits including 17,600 jobs Continue Reading
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News
03 Feb 2021
EE, BT team to ‘redefine’ home broadband with BT Halo 3+
Comms provider and mobile division announce new hybrid connect device, claiming to combine full-fibre home broadband, Wi-Fi and UK’s fastest mobile network Continue Reading
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News
03 Feb 2021
EE 5G mobile usage increases by 40% over last quarter of 2020
Surge in use of next-generation networks for BT-owned mobile service over the festive period with video, especially news, causing spikes Continue Reading
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News
03 Feb 2021
Tata Communications grows IoT footprint
India’s Tata Communications has been shoring up its IoT capabilities through a handful of acquisitions and partnerships with telcos Continue Reading
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News
02 Feb 2021
Poly pivots product line to remote working
Latest Poly P Series offers pro-grade webcams, video bars, speakerphones and an all-in-one video conferencing monitor, with remote management and software services to address new normal Continue Reading
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News
02 Feb 2021
Latency higher priority than speed as IT leaders look to gain edge
Business leaders believe success depends on low latency, namely 10ms or less to ensure the success of their applications, with three-quarters requiring 5ms or less for edge initiatives Continue Reading
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News
02 Feb 2021
Microsoft and Singtel team up on 5G via Azure Stack
Microsoft Azure customers in Singapore will soon be able to use Singtel’s 5G infrastructure to power 5G applications through the telco’s edge computing platform Continue Reading
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News
01 Feb 2021
Enterprise 5G network slicing to carve out $20bn revenues over next five years
Research highlights dedicated network allocation technique as an enabler for new value creation as communications service providers bolster their capabilities to go beyond connectivity revenues Continue Reading
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News
01 Feb 2021
O2 and NEC claim Open RAN trial success
Leading UK mobile operator teams reveal positive results from open radio access network test with IT and network technologies provider, including virtualised RAN software and hardware from GigaTera Communications, Supermicro among others Continue Reading
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News
01 Feb 2021
Qualcomm ramps up 5G with French research and development centre
Brittany and Paris Region colocated R&D facility set up to boost chip giant as it embarks on next-generation network objectives Continue Reading
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News
01 Feb 2021
5G to the fore as Ericsson beats expectations in financial year
Strong year recorded by comms tech firm from continued high activity levels in North America, Northeast Asia and Europe, with 5G strong Continue Reading
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News
29 Jan 2021
Dell, SK Telecom, VMware bring 5G edge to enterprises
IT giants team with telco to collaborate on an integrated multi-access edge computing system with the aim of providing more secure and reliable access to data at edge locations Continue Reading
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News
29 Jan 2021
Telcos accelerate digital transformation but revenues remain store-based
Report reveals operators still rely mainly on physical channels to sell their products and services, but know the value that digital sales can create for them Continue Reading
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News
28 Jan 2021
More than one in six households struggling to afford broadband in UK
With UK lockdown persisting and education online until March at the earliest, research finds broadband customers in receipt of low-income benefits almost twice as likely to struggle to pay their bill than other customers Continue Reading
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News
28 Jan 2021
Smartphone industry roars back in Q4 2020 as iPhone propels Apple to new heights
The past 12 months as a whole may have been challenging for the smartphone industry, but the industry enjoyed an end-of-year renaissance driven by a staggering $66bn worth of iPhone sales Continue Reading
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News
28 Jan 2021
UK government reviews law on access to land for digital infrastructure
Reacting to reports that agreements have been slow to conclude, holding up the roll-out of better mobile and broadband connectivity, UK government consults on changes to the legal framework for agreements on access to land for digital infrastructure Continue Reading
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News
28 Jan 2021
Collaboration to the fore as ‘staggering’ change predicted for IT in 2021
With 2020 exposing the leaders versus the laggards in enterprise digital transformation, research shows companies intend to invest in SD-WAN and MPLS, UCaaS and CCaaS to stay competitive in 2021 Continue Reading
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News
27 Jan 2021
UK broadband customers count cost of quietly expired contracts
Almost three million UK high-speed broadband customers – a third of those whose deal ended in the past year – say they were not informed when their contract ended, as mandated by the UK comms regulator, costing around £90 per household Continue Reading